Lamp with mercury release structure and method for dispensing mercury into a lamp

Abstract

A lamp includes a sealed transparent elongated envelope containing a gas fill, a coil at each of two ends of the elongated envelope, the coils extending widthwise of the envelope, and lead-in wires connected to each of the coils and connectable to an external source of electric current. The lamp further includes a capsule containing mercury and mounted within the envelope at one of the ends of the envelope, the capsule being connected to one of the lead-in wires of one of the coils, the capsule having a base end disposed in a widthwise plane of the envelope in which is disposed the one coil and disposed adjacent to a center portion of the one coil, the capsule having a body portion extending axially in the envelope toward the other of the coils. The other coil is adapted, upon energization by the current, to emit electrons toward the capsule to heat and burst the capsule, to release the mercury into the envelope. The invention further relates to a method for releasing mercury into a lamp, utilizing the above-described apparatus.

Having this described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:  
     
       1. A lamp comprising: 
       a sealed transparent elongated envelope containing a gas fill;  
       a coil at each of two ends of said elongated envelope, said coils extending widthwise of said envelope;  
       first and second lead-in wires connected to each of said coils and connectable to an external source of electric current; and  
       a capsule containing mercury and mounted within said envelope at one of said ends of said envelope, said capsule being connected to one of said first and second lead-in wires of one of said coils, said capsule being disposed adjacent to a center portion of said one coil and having a body portion extending axially in said envelope toward the other of said coils;  
       said other coil being adapted, upon energization by said current, to emit electrons toward said capsule to heat and burst said capsule, to release said mercury into said envelope.  
     
     
       2. The lamp in accordance with claim  1  wherein said capsule has a base end disposed in a widthwise plane of said envelope in which is disposed said one coil. 
     
     
       3. The lamp in accordance with claim  1  wherein said base end of said capsule is fixed to a support wire extending from said one lead-in wire. 
     
     
       4. The lamp in accordance with claim  2  wherein said center portion of said one coil and said capsule define a gap therebetween, in said widthwise plane, of about {fraction (1/32)}-¼ inch. 
     
     
       5. The lamp in accordance with claim  1  wherein said capsule is elongated and extends substantially along a central axis of said lamp, substantially normal to said one coil. 
     
     
       6. The lamp in accordance with claim  1  wherein said gas comprises a gas selected from a group of gases consisting of argon, xenon, krypton, helium, neon, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       7. The lamp in accordance with claim  1  wherein said mercury is in liquid form in said capsule prior to said bursting of said capsule. 
     
     
       8. The lamp in accordance with claim  1  wherein said capsule is of metal. 
     
     
       9. A method for releasing mercury into a lamp having a sealed, transparent, elongated envelope with two ends, a coil at each of said two ends, said coils extending widthwise of said envelope, and first and second lead-in wires connected to each of said coils and connectable to an external source of electric current, said method comprising the steps of: 
       providing a capsule containing mercury;  
       mounting said capsule at one of said ends of said envelope by connecting said capsule to one of said lead-in wires of one of said coils;  
       disposing said capsule adjacent to a center portion of said one coil, with a body portion of said capsule extending axially in said envelope toward the other of said coils; and  
       energizing said other coil by said connecting of said lead-in wires to said source of electric current, to cause emission of electrons from said other coil toward said capsule to heat and burst said capsule, to release said mercury into said envelope.  
     
     
       10. The method in accordance with claim  9  wherein said capsule has a base end disposed in a widthwise plane of said envelope in which is disposed said one coil. 
     
     
       11. The method in accordance with claim  9  wherein said capsule is connected to said one lead-in wire by fixing said base end of said capsule to a first end of a support wire, and fixing a second end of said support wire to said one lead-in wire. 
     
     
       12. The method in accordance with claim  9  wherein said mercury is liquid mercury. 
     
     
       13. The method in accordance with claim  9  wherein said capsule is positioned adjacent to said center portion of said one coil so as to form therebetween a gap of about {fraction (1/32)}-¼ inch. 
     
     
       14. The method in accordance with claim  12  wherein said capsule is of metal. 
     
     
       15. The method in accordance with claim  12  wherein said capsule is heated to vaporize said mercury therein and to burst said capsule to release said vaporized mercury.